This paper presents an original probabilistic model of a hybrid underwater wireless sensor network (UWSN), which includes a network of stationary sensors placed on the seabed and a mobile gateway. The mobile gateway is a wave glider that collects data from the underwater network segment and retransmits it to the processing center. The authors consider the joint problem of optimal localization of stationary network nodes and the corresponding model for bypassing reference nodes by a wave glider. The optimality of the network is evaluated according to the criteria of energy efficiency and reliability. The influence of various physical and technical parameters of the network on its energy efficiency and on the lifespan of sensor nodes is analyzed. The analysis is carried out for networks of various scales, depending on the localization of stationary nodes and the model of bypassing the network with a wave glider. As a model example, the simulation of the functional characteristics of the network for a given size of the water area is carried out. It is shown that in the case of a medium-sized water area, the model of �bypassing the perimeter� by a wave glider is practically feasible, energy efficient and reliable for hourly data measurements. In the case of a large water area, the cluster bypass model becomes more efficient. © 2022, Harbin Engineering University and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.